AP
October 8, 2015
An
Arizona sheriff squared off in court Thursday with a federal judge who
peppered him with tough questions about an allegation that the lawman
investigated the jurist
in a bid to get him removed from a racial profiling case.
The
30-minute exchange between Sheriff Joe Arpaio and U.S. District Judge
Murray Snow marked the second time since April that the judge has
personally questioned the sheriff
about one of his secret investigations.
Snow
has said previously that the investigation was intended to show that
the judge and U.S. Department of Justice were conspiring against Arpaio.
The
sheriff adamantly insisted he wasn't investigating the judge and
instead said the examination focused on allegations that someone had
stolen bank account information
from thousands of people and that someone wiretapped his phone and
those of his lawyers.
Arpaio
testified Thursday that he ordered his employees not to investigate the
judge, even though a confidential informant had given his employees a
flow chart that purported
to back up the now-discredited conspiracy claim.
Snow
pointed out that he had asked the sheriff during their courtroom
exchange during April whether Arpaio knew of anyone investigating the
judge. Arpaio said no and stood
by that answer on Thursday.
"I don't think there was any investigation (of the judge)," Arpaio said. "You just showed up on a flow chart."
The
sheriff said he didn't give the document any credence. His office
continued working with the informant, but eventually concluded he wasn't
reliable. Even so, Arpaio
said the informant had provided records purportedly showing that the
lawman's phones had been tapped.
In the past, the sheriff has been accused of retaliating against critics.
The
judge's questioning concluded Arpaio's four days of testimony at his
contempt-of-court hearings over his disobedience of Snow's orders in the
profiling case.
Arpaio's meek courtroom demeanor contrasted starkly with his reputation for bravado and defiance.
He
wore a pair of earphones so he could hear questions posed by lawyers.
Arpaio's voice was so quiet at times that he couldn't be heard in the
back of the courtroom gallery.
He said he did not recall when asked if he remembered a specific
meeting during which the investigation in question was discussed.
Arpaio
has acknowledged the contempt violations, including letting his
officers conduct immigration patrols for 18 months after Snow had
ordered them stopped.
The six-term sheriff faces civil fines and could face a criminal contempt case on the same grounds.
For more information, go to: www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com
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